Coronavirus: Welsh minister attacks UK government on coronavirus

Lee Waters is the Welsh deputy minister for transport and economy

The UK government has "given-up" on a "science-led approach" to coronavirus, a Welsh Labour minister has claimed.

Lee Waters said London-based ministers have made announcements at their daily press conferences without thinking them through.

It is some of the strongest criticism of the UK government's strategy from the Welsh Government.

A UK government spokesman said it continues "to be guided by the science".

Meanwhile Conservative Welsh Secretary Simon Hart has called for "action" to help the tourism industry in Wales.

Following calls for further lockdown easing from Labour-led Flintshire council, international relations minister Eluned Morgan said her colleagues are "intensely aware" of the pressure on the tourism sector.

Mr Waters said he hoped the Welsh Government could ease the lockdown rules on Friday in a way that "helps the tourism industry" and small firms, but does so in "a way that does not risk all the sacrifices we have made".

Under the laws being used to enforce lockdown, rules in England are set by the Conservative UK government, while the lockdown in Wales is the responsibility of the Labour-led Welsh Government.

The latter's cabinet is due to discuss its next steps, with an announcement due Friday. First Minister Mark Drakeford has said it could include news for non-essential retail.

Non-essential retailers have been allowed to reopen in England

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Mr Waters said: "It is clear… the UK government is departing from the advice of SAGE, it has given up [on] a science-led approach."

He suggested some UK government announcements, such as its original plans for schools, "unravel before they come in".

The deputy transport minister said the government led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson tends "to make an announcement that is driven by a 5pm press conference without thinking it through".

"A lot of this is about the air war, the PR war, which they have tried to be too clever with I think they have been too clever by half.

"We are not going to make the same mistakes as them, no matter what the pressure we are under."

'Based on London'

Mr Waters said he felt the UK government was making decisions "based on London".

They are pulling England out of lockdown at a time to suit the R number in London," he said.

"Actually the R rate in Wales is different because the virus is moving from east to west."

The R figure is the average number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to.

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart called for "action" for the tourism secto

A UK government spokesman said: "There are far more similarities than differences in the approaches of the nations of the UK to the pandemic.

"We entered this fight as one United Kingdom and we will come out of it equally united."

He added: "We remain committed to a UK-wide approach and continue to be guided by the science. Each of the four nations agrees that there should only be differences in approach when the scientific evidence supports it."

Tourism call

In a letter to members of the Senedd, UK government Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said "action is needed" to help the tourism sector.

He asked them to "do everything in your power this week to encourage the Welsh Government to set out a roadmap for the tourism and hospitality industries in Wales".

Mr Hart said he was more sympathetic to First Minister Mark Drakeford's predicament "than perhaps has been reported".

But he added he need not "rehearse the value of the tourism and hospitality industries to our country, which employ hundreds of thousands of individuals".

"Losing these jobs risks plunging communities into deprivation," he said.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: "We thank Mr Hart for his advice, but the first minister makes decisions based on safety and science rather than lobbying efforts by UK government ministers."

Eluned Morgan said ministers are "intensely aware" of the pressure on the tourism sector

Deeside.com reported that Labour-run Flintshire Council had also written to the Welsh Government calling for a lifting of lockdown measures on the "retail and tourism sectors who are at great risk."

Eluned Morgan said the Welsh Government is "intensely aware" of the pressure on the tourism sector, according to the international relations minister.

She said the government will be "putting guidance in place that we've worked up with the industry" but the support of local communities was also needed.

"We've made it very clear that shops should have been preparing during this period, but we will of course, look at that as part of the next review.

"Just to make it clear in relation to tourism we are intensely aware of the pressure that is on a sector, which is fundamental to the Welsh economy.

The first minister will announce the outcome of the fourth lockdown review on Friday.